Lefty Driesell
Encyclopedia
Charles Grice "Lefty" Driesell (born December 25, 1931) is an American former college basketball
coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland
, Davidson College
, James Madison University
, and Georgia State University
. During his 41-year coaching career, Driesell led teams from each school to the NCAA Tournament and earned a reputation as a tireless recruiter. He is the only coach to win 100 games at four different colleges.
to Frank Driesell, a jeweler
who had emigrated from Germany
. In the fourth grade, Driesell received the nickname "Lefty" for his handedness
. He attended Granby High School
in Norfolk and was selected to the All-State basketball team. After graduating high school in 1950, Driesell attended college at Duke University
from 1950 to 1954. He played on the basketball team
there as a center
under head coach Harold Bradley. Driesell graduated from Duke with a bachelor's degree in 1954.
), but soon quit to return to Granby High School as its junior varsity
basketball coach for $3,200 per year ($ adjusted for inflation). Driesell was promoted to varsity
coach the following year. In 1957, he became the head coach at Newport News High School
, where he compiled a 57-game winning streak.
from 1960 to 1969. During his tenure there, his teams won three Southern Conference
tournament championships and five regular season championships, and he was named the Southern Conference Sportswriters Association Coach of the Year four consecutive times from 1963 to 1966. Driesell excelled at recruiting at each of his collegiate coaching stops. At Davidson, one of his recruits included Dick Snyder
, a first round selection by the Cleveland Cavaliers
. During his successful recruitment of college prospect Don Davidson, Driesell told him, "If you come here, I'll put your name on the front [of your jersey]". During his time at Davidson, NC State
head coach Everett Case
attempted to lure Driesell to join his own coaching staff as an assistant, to which he replied, "Coach, I got a better team than you got. Why would I do that?"
. During his introductory press conference, he made the bold statement that he wanted to make Maryland the "UCLA
of the East." At that time, UCLA was the nation's dominant college basketball program. While Driesell did not elevate Maryland to UCLA's heights, he did lead the Terrapins to eight NCAA Tournament appearances, a National Invitation Tournament
championship, two Atlantic Coast Conference
regular season championships, and one Atlantic Coast Conference tournament
championship. Maryland also attained a No. 2 Associated Press
ranking during four consecutive seasons from 1972 to 1976.
Driesell coached the Maryland Terrapins
from 1969 to 1986. During his tenure, he successfully recruited numerous exceptional players, including Tom McMillen, Len Elmore
, John Lucas
, Albert King
, Buck Williams
, and Len Bias
. In 1974, he signed perhaps the best college prospect of his career, Moses Malone
, but lost him to a professional basketball franchise, the Utah Stars
, on the day classes were scheduled to begin. Malone was one of the first players to proceed directly from high school into professional basketball.
At Maryland, Driesell began the now nationwide tradition of Midnight Madness
. According to longstanding NCAA rules, college basketball teams were not permitted to begin practices until October 15. Driesell traditionally began the first practice with a requirement that his players run one mile in six minutes, but found that the players were too fatigued to practice effectively immediately afterwards. At 12:03 a.m. on October 15, 1971, Driesell held a one-mile run at the track around Byrd Stadium
, where a crowd of 1,000 fans had gathered after learning of the unorthodox practice session. The event soon became a tradition to build excitement for the basketball team's upcoming season.
In 1972, Maryland defeated Niagara
, 100–69 to secure the National Invitation Tournament
championship. Driesell said that the season attained the three goals he had set for the program at the time of his hiring: "national prominence", "national ranking", and "a national championship".
On July 12, 1973, Driesell saved the lives of at least ten children from several burning buildings. He and two other men were surf fishing
around midnight in Bethany Beach, Delaware
when he saw flames coming from a seashore resort. Driesell broke down a door and rescued several children from the fire that eventually destroyed four townhouses. An eyewitness, Prince George's County
circuit court Judge Samuel Meloy, said, "Let's face it, Driesell was a hero. There were no injuries and it was a miracle because firemen didn't come for at least 30 minutes." Driesell said, "Don't build me up as any kind of hero. All we did was try to get the kids out. It was just lucky that we were fishing right in front of the houses." For these actions, Driesell was awarded the NCAA Award of Valor
.
In 1984, Driesell led the team to the school's second ACC
Tournament Championship. In December 1985, the university gave Driesell a ten-year contract extension. On June 19, 1986, Maryland star Len Bias
died of a cocaine
-induced heart attack shortly after being drafted by the Boston Celtics
as the No. 2 overall selection. In October, a university panel found that the basketball staff had stressed athletics over academics. On October 29, Driesell resigned as head coach and took a position as an assistant athletic director
. He also worked as a television analyst during college basketball games. Members of the media widely described Driesell as a scapegoat
of chancellor John B. Slaughter and the university administration.
in 1988. He remained the Dukes head coach until 1996. Driesell led James Madison to the NCAA Tournament
in 1994. His teams captured five Colonial Athletic Association
regular season championships and one tournament championship.
Driesell then coached at Georgia State
, which he led to four Atlantic Sun Conference
regular season championships and one tournament championship. He retired from coaching on January 3, 2003 in the middle of his 41st season as a head coach. At the time of his retirement, he ranked No. 4 in number of wins for an NCAA Division I coach, behind only Dean Smith
, Adolph Rupp
, and Bob Knight. Driesell is the only basketball coach to win at least 100 games at four different colleges. Driesell led four of his squads to the Elite Eight
, but was unable to ever advance to the Final Four
. Because of this and his recruiting acumen, Sports Illustrated
noted that he has sometimes been—unfairly—viewed as a stellar recruiter but mediocre coach. Driesell's final record was 786–394.
On April 2, 2007, Driesell was inducted as a member of the second class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
. The University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
inducted Driesell in 2002. On August 13, 2008, he was inducted as a member of the inaugural class of the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, which honors athletes, coaches, and administrators who made contributions to sports in southeastern Virginia
. On May 25, 2011, Driesell was inducted into the Southern Conference Hall of Fame.
On April 2, 2010, the first annual Lefty Driesell Award
for the best defensive player in NCAA Division I basketball was bestowed upon its first recipient, Jarvis Varnado
of Mississippi State
.
, was hired as an assistant on the Maryland coaching staff under Gary Williams
in 2006, and in 2010, he was named the head basketball coach at The Citadel. The elder Driesell continues to provide coaching advice to his son, but said, "But he's like all children, he doesn't listen." One of his three daughters, Pam, is a pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. Driesell is a Presbyterian
, but has often attended churches affiliated with other Christian denomination
s. In 2003, Driesell retired to Virginia Beach, Virginia
with his wife.
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
, James Madison University
James Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
, and Georgia State University
Georgia State University
Georgia State University is a research university in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1913, it serves about 30,000 students and is one of the University System of Georgia's four research universities...
. During his 41-year coaching career, Driesell led teams from each school to the NCAA Tournament and earned a reputation as a tireless recruiter. He is the only coach to win 100 games at four different colleges.
Early life
He was born on December 25, 1931 in Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
to Frank Driesell, a jeweler
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
who had emigrated from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In the fourth grade, Driesell received the nickname "Lefty" for his handedness
Handedness
Handedness is a human attribute defined by unequal distribution of fine motor skills between the left and right hands. An individual who is more dexterous with the right hand is called right-handed and one who is more skilled with the left is said to be left-handed...
. He attended Granby High School
Granby High School
Granby High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Norfolk, Virginia. The high school is part of the Norfolk Public Schools system. It is the only high school in the school division that offers an International Baccalaureate program...
in Norfolk and was selected to the All-State basketball team. After graduating high school in 1950, Driesell attended college at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
from 1950 to 1954. He played on the basketball team
Duke Blue Devils men's basketball
The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I...
there as a center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
under head coach Harold Bradley. Driesell graduated from Duke with a bachelor's degree in 1954.
Coaching career
After college in 1954, he took an office job which paid a $6,200 salary ($ adjusted for inflationInflation adjustment
Inflation adjustment is the process of adjusting economic indicators and the prices of goods and services from different time periods to the same price level. To adjust for inflation, an indicator is divided by the inflation index...
), but soon quit to return to Granby High School as its junior varsity
Junior varsity
Primarily in North America, junior varsity or JV players are the members of a team who are not the main players in a competition , usually at the high school and college levels in the United States and Canada. The main players comprise the varsity team...
basketball coach for $3,200 per year ($ adjusted for inflation). Driesell was promoted to varsity
Varsity
Varsity, a term originally derived from university, may refer to:In geography:*Varsity, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Calgary, Alberta, Canada*Varsity Lakes, Queensland, a suburb of the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia...
coach the following year. In 1957, he became the head coach at Newport News High School
Newport News High School
Newport News High School was a high school located in Newport News, Virginia. It was located at 3100 Huntington Avenue and operated by Newport News Public Schools.-History:...
, where he compiled a 57-game winning streak.
Davidson
Driesell served as the head coach at DavidsonDavidson Wildcats men's basketball
The Davidson Wildcats basketball team is the basketball team that represents Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, in the NCAA Division I. The school's team currently competes in the Southern Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2008. The...
from 1960 to 1969. During his tenure there, his teams won three Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
tournament championships and five regular season championships, and he was named the Southern Conference Sportswriters Association Coach of the Year four consecutive times from 1963 to 1966. Driesell excelled at recruiting at each of his collegiate coaching stops. At Davidson, one of his recruits included Dick Snyder
Dick Snyder
Richard J. Snyder is an American former National Basketball Association player for the St. Louis Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Seattle SuperSonics, and Cleveland Cavaliers. Snyder attended college at Davidson College, and was drafted by the Hawks in the second round of the 1966 NBA Draft...
, a first round selection by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
. During his successful recruitment of college prospect Don Davidson, Driesell told him, "If you come here, I'll put your name on the front [of your jersey]". During his time at Davidson, NC State
NC State Wolfpack men's basketball
The NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Wolfpack currently competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference, of which it was a founding member....
head coach Everett Case
Everett Case
Everett N. Case , nicknamed "Gray Fox", was a basketball coach most notable for his tenure at North Carolina State University, from 1946 to 1964....
attempted to lure Driesell to join his own coaching staff as an assistant, to which he replied, "Coach, I got a better team than you got. Why would I do that?"
Maryland
In 1969, he was hired by the University of MarylandUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
. During his introductory press conference, he made the bold statement that he wanted to make Maryland the "UCLA
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...
of the East." At that time, UCLA was the nation's dominant college basketball program. While Driesell did not elevate Maryland to UCLA's heights, he did lead the Terrapins to eight NCAA Tournament appearances, a National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
championship, two Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
regular season championships, and one Atlantic Coast Conference tournament
ACC Men's Basketball Tournament
The ACC Men's Basketball Tournament is the conference championship tournament in basketball for the Atlantic Coast Conference . The tournament has been held every year since 1954, one year after the conference's creation. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season...
championship. Maryland also attained a No. 2 Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
ranking during four consecutive seasons from 1972 to 1976.
Driesell coached the Maryland Terrapins
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
from 1969 to 1986. During his tenure, he successfully recruited numerous exceptional players, including Tom McMillen, Len Elmore
Len Elmore
Leonard J. "Len" Elmore is an American sportscaster, lawyer and former National Basketball Association player....
, John Lucas
John Lucas II
John Harding Lucas II is a retired American professional basketball player and a current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers.-Basketball playing career and substance abuse:...
, Albert King
Albert King (basketball)
Albert King is a retired American professional basketball player. King played at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn and is regarded as one of the nation's greatest high school players of all time. He was rated the top prep player in the nation over Magic Johnson and Gene Banks during his senior...
, Buck Williams
Buck Williams
Charles Linwood Williams , better known as "Buck", is a retired American professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the Portland Trail Blazers. He was well known for his rebounding ability and trademark goggles.Williams, 6 ft 8 in , ranks 13th all-time in NBA career rebounds...
, and Len Bias
Len Bias
Leonard Kevin "Len" Bias was a first team All-American college basketball player at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Boston Celtics as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft on June 17, but died two days later from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose...
. In 1974, he signed perhaps the best college prospect of his career, Moses Malone
Moses Malone
Moses Eugene Malone is a retired American Hall of Fame basketball player who starred in both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association...
, but lost him to a professional basketball franchise, the Utah Stars
Utah Stars
The Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.-History:...
, on the day classes were scheduled to begin. Malone was one of the first players to proceed directly from high school into professional basketball.
At Maryland, Driesell began the now nationwide tradition of Midnight Madness
Midnight Madness (basketball)
Midnight Madness is an annual event on college campuses that celebrates the first day in mid-October that the National Collegiate Athletic Association permits formal basketball practices each college basketball season. In some cases, the name has literal meaning since an event is scheduled...
. According to longstanding NCAA rules, college basketball teams were not permitted to begin practices until October 15. Driesell traditionally began the first practice with a requirement that his players run one mile in six minutes, but found that the players were too fatigued to practice effectively immediately afterwards. At 12:03 a.m. on October 15, 1971, Driesell held a one-mile run at the track around Byrd Stadium
Byrd Stadium
Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium , is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland. It is the home of the Maryland Terrapins football and lacrosse teams, which compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference...
, where a crowd of 1,000 fans had gathered after learning of the unorthodox practice session. The event soon became a tradition to build excitement for the basketball team's upcoming season.
In 1972, Maryland defeated Niagara
Niagara Purple Eagles men's basketball
The Niagara Purple Eagles men's basketball team is the college basketball team that represent Niagara University in Lewiston, New York, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference...
, 100–69 to secure the National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
championship. Driesell said that the season attained the three goals he had set for the program at the time of his hiring: "national prominence", "national ranking", and "a national championship".
On July 12, 1973, Driesell saved the lives of at least ten children from several burning buildings. He and two other men were surf fishing
Surf fishing
Surf fishing is the sport of catching fish standing on the shoreline or wading in the surf. A general term, surf fishing may or may not include casting a lure or bait, and refers to all types of shore fishing - from sandy and rocky beaches, rock jetties, or even fishing piers...
around midnight in Bethany Beach, Delaware
Bethany Beach, Delaware
Bethany Beach is an incorporated town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 Census Bureau figures, the population of the town is 1,060; however, during the summer months some 15,000 more populate the town as vacationers...
when he saw flames coming from a seashore resort. Driesell broke down a door and rescued several children from the fire that eventually destroyed four townhouses. An eyewitness, Prince George's County
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
circuit court Judge Samuel Meloy, said, "Let's face it, Driesell was a hero. There were no injuries and it was a miracle because firemen didn't come for at least 30 minutes." Driesell said, "Don't build me up as any kind of hero. All we did was try to get the kids out. It was just lucky that we were fishing right in front of the houses." For these actions, Driesell was awarded the NCAA Award of Valor
NCAA Award of Valor
The NCAA Award of Valor is presented by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to recognize "courageous action or noteworthy bravery" by persons involved with intercollegiate athletics....
.
In 1984, Driesell led the team to the school's second ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Tournament Championship. In December 1985, the university gave Driesell a ten-year contract extension. On June 19, 1986, Maryland star Len Bias
Len Bias
Leonard Kevin "Len" Bias was a first team All-American college basketball player at the University of Maryland. He was selected by the Boston Celtics as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft on June 17, but died two days later from cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose...
died of a cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
-induced heart attack shortly after being drafted by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
as the No. 2 overall selection. In October, a university panel found that the basketball staff had stressed athletics over academics. On October 29, Driesell resigned as head coach and took a position as an assistant athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
. He also worked as a television analyst during college basketball games. Members of the media widely described Driesell as a scapegoat
Scapegoat
Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any party for unmerited negative treatment or blame. Scapegoating may be conducted by individuals against individuals , individuals against groups , groups against individuals , and groups against groups Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any...
of chancellor John B. Slaughter and the university administration.
After Maryland
Driesell resumed his coaching career at James Madison UniversityJames Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
in 1988. He remained the Dukes head coach until 1996. Driesell led James Madison to the NCAA Tournament
1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1994, and ended with the championship game on April 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina...
in 1994. His teams captured five Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
regular season championships and one tournament championship.
Driesell then coached at Georgia State
Georgia State Panthers men's basketball
The Georgia State Panthers men's basketball team represents Georgia State University and competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of NCAA Division I. The Panthers play at the GSU Sports Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.-Coaches:...
, which he led to four Atlantic Sun Conference
Atlantic Sun Conference
The Atlantic Sun Conference is a college athletic conference operating in the Southeastern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I; it does not sponsor football. The conference was established in 1978 as the Trans America Athletic Conference...
regular season championships and one tournament championship. He retired from coaching on January 3, 2003 in the middle of his 41st season as a head coach. At the time of his retirement, he ranked No. 4 in number of wins for an NCAA Division I coach, behind only Dean Smith
Dean Smith
Dean Edwards Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
, Adolph Rupp
Adolph Rupp
Adolph Frederick Rupp was one of the most successful coaches in the history of American college basketball. Rupp is fourth in total victories by a men's NCAA Division I college coach, winning 876 games in 41 years of coaching...
, and Bob Knight. Driesell is the only basketball coach to win at least 100 games at four different colleges. Driesell led four of his squads to the Elite Eight
Elite Eight
The term Elite Eight, or less commonly called "Great Eight", refers to the final eight teams in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship or the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship; and, thus, represents the national quarterfinals. In Division I, the Elite Eight consists of the...
, but was unable to ever advance to the Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
. Because of this and his recruiting acumen, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
noted that he has sometimes been—unfairly—viewed as a stellar recruiter but mediocre coach. Driesell's final record was 786–394.
Honors and awards
Driesell earned conference Coach of the Year honors at each of his destinations. He was named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year four times at Davidson (1963–1966), twice named the Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year at Maryland (1975 and 1980), twice named the Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year at James Madison (1990 and 1992), and once named the Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year at Georgia State (2001).On April 2, 2007, Driesell was inducted as a member of the second class of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame
The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Kansas City, Missouri, is a hall of fame and museum dedicated to college basketball. The museum is an integral portion of the College Basketball Experience created by the National Association of Basketball Coaches , located at the Sprint...
. The University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame
The University of Maryland Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1982 by the M Club Foundation to honor student-athletes, coaches, and administrators who made significant contributions to athletics at the University of Maryland...
inducted Driesell in 2002. On August 13, 2008, he was inducted as a member of the inaugural class of the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, which honors athletes, coaches, and administrators who made contributions to sports in southeastern Virginia
Tidewater region of Virginia
The Tidewater region of Virginia is the eastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia formally known as Hampton Roads. The term tidewater may be correctly applied to all portions of any area, including Virginia, where the water level is affected by the tides...
. On May 25, 2011, Driesell was inducted into the Southern Conference Hall of Fame.
On April 2, 2010, the first annual Lefty Driesell Award
Lefty Driesell Award
The Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's college basketball defender in NCAA Division I competition. The award was established in 2010 and is named for legendary head coach Lefty Driesell, who is the only head coach to amass 100...
for the best defensive player in NCAA Division I basketball was bestowed upon its first recipient, Jarvis Varnado
Jarvis Varnado
Jarvis Varnado is an American basketball player for Hapoel Jerusalem B.C. of the Israeli Basketball Super League. Varnado was selected by the Miami Heat in the 2010 NBA Draft....
of Mississippi State
Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball
The Mississippi State Bulldogs basketball program represents Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS in men's NCAA Division I basketball. The Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference and are currently coached by Rick Stansbury. As of the 2010 season the Bulldogs are 1272-1056...
.
Personal life
While a student at Duke University, Driesell eloped with his wife, Joyce on December 14, 1952. The two had met while in the ninth and eighth grades, respectively. The couple has four children. His son, ChuckChuck Driesell
Chuck Driesell is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach for The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. Driesell previously served as an assistant coach under Gary Williams at the University of Maryland and spent six seasons as head coach at Marymount University...
, was hired as an assistant on the Maryland coaching staff under Gary Williams
Gary Williams
Gary B. Williams is an American university administrator and former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland, Ohio State University, Boston College, and American University. In 2002, he led Maryland to the NCAA Tournament Championship...
in 2006, and in 2010, he was named the head basketball coach at The Citadel. The elder Driesell continues to provide coaching advice to his son, but said, "But he's like all children, he doesn't listen." One of his three daughters, Pam, is a pastor at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. Driesell is a Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
, but has often attended churches affiliated with other Christian denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
s. In 2003, Driesell retired to Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
with his wife.